


Haunted

by BradyGirl_12



Category: due South
Genre: Autumn, Established Relationship, Ghosts, Halloween, Holidays, M/M, Male Slash, Romance, Slash, Spirits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-02-17
Updated: 1999-02-17
Packaged: 2018-11-10 11:01:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11125728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BradyGirl_12/pseuds/BradyGirl_12
Summary: Benny and Ray enter a deserted house on a dark and stormy autumn night.  Originally posted on 11/18/98.





	1. Haunted

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Speranza, the archivist: this story was once archived at [Due South Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Due_South_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017.Original pseudonym: Gilda Lily.  
>  **Rated: NC-17 for graphic m/m sex.**  
>  Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, Alliance does, more's the pity.  
> (c) October 28, 1998  
> A Blessed Samhain to all!  
>   
> 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Benny and Ray are caught out in the rain.

Rain poured down on the two men as they trudged across the sodden  
fields. Ray swore as he nearly lost an example of fine Italian footwear  
in a mud patch. His long coat flapped oout behind him and he grabbed  
it  
to wrap around his body more tightly. Benny held on to his Stetson,  
his  
blue RCMP coat becoming heavier as the rain soaked it. His Mountie  
boots fared better than Ray's shoes.  
  
"When we get back, Benny, Carlson is dead!" Ray shouted,  
referring  
to the Sergeant in charge of police vehicles.  
  
"It's not his fault that the car he assigned us was faulty,  
Ray!"  
Benny had to shout, too, as the wind blew and thunder  
cracked.  
  
"Are you sure tramping around Creation is a good idea, Benny?"  
  
"Well, Ray, unless you wish to spend the night in that ditch..."  
  
"No!"  
  
"Then we had better look for shelter."  
  
They saw it as they rounded an oak tree. The crumbling old  
Victorian with the mansard roof loomed up against the stormy sky. A  
rusting iron fence surounded the property, the lawn choked with weeds.  
The maple and oak trees thrived, however, and their brilliant colors  
would have looked beautiful in daylight.  
  
"Ah, jeez, 1313 Mockingbird Lane," Ray muttered.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothin'."  
  
They hurried across the open field, Ray suddenly stopping.  
  
"It's just a scarecrow, Ray," Benny said softly as he  
squeezed his  
lover's hand.  
  
Ray smiled a trifle shakily as they passed the fence with the  
drooping scarecrow lashed to it.  
  
They hurried up the cracked sidewalk and gingerly tested the front  
steps. Fairly certain that they would hold their weight, Benny and Ray  
hurried onto the veranda. Since the house was obviously abandoned, they  
pushed open the door and stepped into the foyer. A light flickered in  
a  
dormer window.  
  
Ray sneezed. "Oh, yeah, this'll be great for my allergies."  
  
Cobwebs were festooned from the grimy chandelier, roseate  
wallpaper  
peeling and the burgundy carpet showing threadbare patches. A  
grand  
staircase wound up to the darkness of the second floor.  
  
"This is quite an interesting example of late 19th-century  
architecture, Ray."  
  
"Great, Benny. Where do you suggest we bed down without ending  
up  
coated in dust?"  
  
"We'll have to conduct a reconnaisance."  
  
Ray rolled his eyes and waved his hand. "Lead on, General."  
  
They headed for a room directly off the foyer. The front door  
closed beind them, lightning flashing and thunder cracking.*  
  



	2. Violet And Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray and Benny make a startling discovery.

The parlor was covered in dust and cobwebs, the mouldering  
furniture draped in moth-eaten coverings. Ray sneezed violently.  
  
"God bless you."  
  
"Thanks." The Detective blew his nose, the sound echoing  
loudly in  
the old house. "Geez, what a spooky place."  
  
"The furnishings appear to be circa 1870 or so," Benny  
said.  
  
"Yeah, well, the house is about 130 years old if it's a day."  
  
"I wonder about its history." A faraway look appeared  
in Benny's  
eyes.  
  
"C'mon, let's go check out the rest of the place," Ray  
said,  
hoping to forestall a long-winded dissertation.  
  
Benny obediently followed, and they saw a gloomy cobwebbed dining  
room and kitchen. They headed up the grand staircase, and there were  
several dusty old rooms to be found on the second floor. One was a  
library, and Benny was immediately drawn to the dusty, densely-packed  
books on the shelves.  
  
"Ah, Dickens." He carefully took *A CHRISTMAS CAROL*  
off the shelf  
and blew away the dust. "A first edition, no doubt."  
  
"No doubt," Ray said with an affectionate smile. Despite  
the  
dustiness and grime, Benny belonged here. Ray had often thought  
that he  
would have fit in very well with Victorian times: honorable,  
proper,  
old-fashioned...  
  
A flash of lightning poured through the window, illuminating Benny  
in a ghostly halo. Ray shivered, suddenly uneasy. He reached out and  
grabbed Benny's hand.  
  
"C'mon, let's check out the rest of the rooms."  
  
A bedroom with a huge four-poster bed attracted their attention.  
  
The canopy had rotted, hanging down in grimy tatters, but the bed  
still looked sturdy. However, Ray was not about to test it out. The  
bedspread looked ready to fall apart at the touch like a mummy's  
wrappings. He didn't even want to consider what the mice might have  
done to the mattress.  
  
"This looks like a gentleman's bedroom, Ray."  
  
"Hmm, yeah." The furniture was heavy and dark, and the  
old  
paintings were of hunting scenes. A lady's bedroom of the Victorian  
era  
would have been frillier. "Too bad that bed is so grungy.  
I really  
don't look forward to sleeping on the floor. With this  
storm, I can't  
even use the cellphone!"  
  
They decided to head back down, Benny detouring to the library.  
Ray followed, and he noticed a painting hung behind the desk. It was  
a  
portrait of a very handsome young man, blond hair and mustache  
combed  
neatly, the slender body wearing a country gentleman's outfit  
of tweed  
jacket and jodhpurs. Shiny black boots completed the attire.  
Ray was  
especially attracted to the eyes. They appeared blue at  
first in the  
dim light, but a flicker of light convinced Ray that  
they were violet.  
  
"Nice young man," Benny commented.  
  
"Mmm." Ray turned to leave. "You comin'?"  
  
"Yes, Ray."  
  
Down in the parlor Benny stood at the window while Ray roamed  
restlessly around the room. Another flash of lightning scorched through  
the window, and he stopped dead.  
  
"Benny."  
  
"Yes, Ray?"  
  
"C'mere."  
  
Benny obeyed, coming to stand by Ray's side. "What is it,  
love?"  
  
Ray pointed. Benny's eyes grew wide.  
  
Even in the dim light, Benny could see the portrait over the  
fireplace. It was a portrait of a young man dressed in riding clothes  
similar to the painting in the library, except this man was the double  
of Benton Fraser, RCMP.  
  
Ray felt his breathing quicken.  
  
"Um, it looks like I had a twin in the last century."  
  
"Wonder if he was Canadian?" Ray cracked.  
  
"Perhaps so. We are fairly close to the border. Many Canadians  
and Americans have crossed over..."  
  
Ray suddenly shivered. "Uh, Benny, how about you read me some  
of  
that Dickens?"  
  
"Certainly, Ray. I'll go get the book."  
  
"Okay. I'll light a candle."  
  
Ray picked up the candle he'd noticed on th windowsill and took  
out a book of matches. They had been left behind in the unmarked police  
car by a former occupant, and he had thought they might be useful. The  
candle flickered to life and cast eerie shadows on the walls.  
  
He waited and began to grow impatient. He grabbed the  
candleholder and went upstairs.  
  
In the library he found Benny clutching the book and staring up  
at  
the painting. He clamped a hand down on his lover's arm.  
  
"C'mon, Benny. I need some bedtime reading."  
  
Benny blushed, then turned to look at Ray with slightly-dazed  
eyes.  
  
"Oh, Ray! Yes, I'm coming."  
  
Ray firmly cupped Benny's elbow and steered him out of the room  
and down the stairs.  
  
They managed to clean off a section of floor with an ancient broom  
that Ray had found in the hall closet. They sat by the couch, Benny  
opening the book and beginning to read.  
  
Ray felt his nerves calm as Benny's gentle voice washed over him.  
With a smile he propped his chin in his hand and watched the candlelight  
flicker over his beloved's beautiful face.  
  
His love surged up, his body attuning to the Canadian's words.  
He  
reached out and unbuttoned the top button on the red tunic.  
  
Benny hesitated, looking up through his long lashes, and a shy  
smile spread across his face. Ray's heart triphammered. The Mountie  
went back to his reading, Ray slowly and teasingly unbuttoning the  
tunic, pushing it open and stroking the lovely chest through the  
undershirt. He found Benny's nipples and ran his palm over them. Benny  
squirmed, Ray sliding down the suspenders and pushing the undershirt  
up.  
A hot tongue found his nipples and sucked on each one as Benny  
moaned  
and writhed. Ray's hand stroked between his lover's legs,  
gently  
tugging on the waistband and pulling down the jodhpurs. He  
rubbed the  
boxers and his tongue ran down the length of the lean  
stomach. He  
breathed sooftly on the swollen cock and Benny whimpered.  
  
Ray took the organ in his mouth and sucked, Benny crying out as  
he  
neared the brink. Ray's own cock was slick and heavy by now,  
and he  
impatiently pulled down his own pants to free it. He began  
to nudge  
between Benny's cheeks, letting go of his lover's cock as  
he began to  
thrust.  
  
Benny's cries filled the room, thunder punctuating his moans and  
lightning flashing intermittently, giving Ray a wonderful view of his  
writhing Mountie. Yellow light jagged across to the *doppelganger*  
painting, streaks of gold lacing the solid body.  
  
Ray's cock spurted inside of his lover, Benny screaming his name.  
A loud crash startled them both, the thunder rolling angrily across the  
sky. Benny's cock began to spurt and Ray dipped down and swallowed it,  
tasting the delicious semen as it gushed down his throat. They were  
both gasping as they came apart, blindly reaching for each other.  
  
The thunder rocked the house as they sank into each other's arms.  
  



	3. Breezes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Benny has a strange experience.

Ray snuggled up against Benny's side as he remained in the  
twilight between waking and sleeping. He could feel his lover's warmth  
next to him and smiled. They had not gone to sleep completely  
undressed,  
as Ray had declared that "dust will eat us alive". So they  
had positioned themselves for sleep with nearly all their clothes on.  
Even through that red serge, Benny could warm him up.  
  
The storm was still raging, a lulu if Ray had ever seen one. If  
it  
went away, he could use his cellphone and call for help. It would  
be a  
long trek back to Chicago otherwise.  
  
As Ray began to drift off to sleep, he became aware of movements  
beside him. Smiling, he thought that his proper Mountie was insatiable.  
A frown crossed his features as he realized that Benny was not playing  
with him. The Mountie's body was moving, but it was as if Ray was not  
beside him.  
  
At Benny's soft moan, Ray turned over and was astounded to see  
Benny's tunic unbuttoned and his undershirt pushed up above his nipples.  
His legs were spread and an erection clearly showed through the  
jodhpurs.  
  
*Wow, that must be *some* dream Benny's havin'! Maybe I should  
wake him up and join in the fun.*  
  
Ray propped his head on his hand as he watched Benny's slight,  
undulating movements. He recognized those movements as a lover should,  
and he felt himself growing hot as Benny parted his lips and moaned  
loudly. Thunder crashed and Ray nearly jumped. A light breeze blew  
into his face. He frowned again. No windows were open. Where did that  
breeze come from?  
  
"Oh, Ray, oh, Ray!"  
  
Ray grinned. So much for breezes when he had Benny calling out  
to  
him in the throes of passion.  
  
"Ray, *please*! Wake me up! Help, Ray!"  
  
Startled, Ray reached out and shook Benny's arm. The Mountie's  
eyes snapped open and he sat up like a flash, breathing heavily and  
drenched in sweat. He looked wildly at Ray.  
  
"What is it, Benny?"  
  
"Ray!" He grasped his Italian's hand. "It was so  
strange! I was  
awakened by a breeze, blowing over my..." He  
blushed but continued  
"...nipples. I thought that perhaps you  
were playing with me. I felt  
something touch me...between my legs...and...and..."  
  
"And what, Benny?"  
  
"I could swear that I felt lips on mine!"  
  
They stared at each other as the thunder crashed in deafening  
roars.  
  



	4. Diary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A diary tells a sad tale.

Whoa, Benny, this is gettin' *too* weird!"  
  
"I know, Ray."  
  
Benny was clearly upset. Ray took him in his arms and kissed his  
hair, then moved to his lips. Benny relaxed and they lay back down  
again.  
  
"Try to get some sleep," Ray whispered into his ear, and  
Benny  
nodded. He was soon asleep, Ray's arms tight around him, and  
the  
Italian brooded as the storm lashed the skies outside. This  
place was  
definitely giving him bad vibes. An eerie prickling up  
his neck gave  
him the feeling that he was being watched. He carefully  
disentangled  
from his lover and turned around. No one, of course.  
  
A flash of lightning occurred, and he saw the eyes of the painting.  
Shock nearly stopped his heart. Were those eyes *violet* now?  
  
Shaking like a leaf, he rose and walked slowly toward the  
fireplace.  
Another flash of lightning revealed the perfect face and he  
visibly  
relaxed. Blue. His imagination was running overtime in this  
paen  
to the Addams Family.  
  
He settled back beside Benny and held him close, falling asleep  
soon.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Ray awoke. His watch told him it was only an hour since he'd  
fallen asleep. And Benny was gone.  
  
He picked up the candle and lit it, climbing up the staircase and  
going into the library. Benny was standing mesmerized as he stared at  
the painting behind the desk, clutching a book in his hand.  
  
"Benny," Ray said softly. When the Mountie didn't respond,  
Ray  
reached out and clamped a hand on his arm. "Come back to  
bed."  
  
Benny looked at his lover in confusion, then slowly nodded and went  
back with Ray.  
  
In the parlor Ray tucked his long legs under him and regarded his  
mate. He knew that Benny was drawn to libraries, but this was  
ridiculous!  
What was going on?  
  
"Whatcha got there?" Ray asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"That." Ray nodded at the book that Benny still gripped.  
  
  
"Oh. I don't know. Ray, I don't even remember going upstairs!"  
  
"'S'okay. Let's see what it is."  
  
It was a diary. Probably the owner of the house. In flowing  
script, the name Carlyle Simmons was written on the first page. The  
first entry was dated January 1, 1868.  
  
"Wow, old stuff here."  
  
"Ye...yes." Benny seemed confused, and Ray decided that  
a little  
history would perk him up. He flipped the pages and read  
the entry for  
April 1st, which dealt with the details of running  
a large house and  
estate. The next few entries kept to the same  
topic, then the one dated  
April 6th added a little more historical  
flavor:  
  
*I entered into a debate with some of the gentlemen at McDuffy's  
Tavern this morning as to the upcoming Presidential election. While  
most of us were solidly for Grant, Hiram Peters thought that his  
opponent should be given the vote. There was a lively argument, but  
no  
blows were exchanged, and we went about our business.  
  
I received a letter from Aubrey O'Shea. He has accepted my  
invitation to come and visit. With the winds of fortune at my back,  
perhaps we can resume our friendship as practiced during the War.*  
  
The next interesting entry read:  
  
*April 16, 1868  
Aubrey arrived today. He is as handsome as I remember. Aglow  
with good health, he stepped off the train and we embraced. Comradeship  
is ours again, as it was during the War. I feel a great happiness now  
that he is here.*  
  
"Kinda interesting', huh, Benny?" Ray looked up and saw  
how tired  
his lover looked. He shut the diary and said, "Let's  
try and get some  
shut-eye. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."  
  
"Yes, Ray."  
  
Ray placed the diary on the coffee table and he and Benny settled  
down in each other's arms once again. Ray yawned and fell asleep, his  
nerves tingling. As hard as he tried, he couldn't keep his eyes open.  
He slept like the dead.  
  
*Ray. Ray.*  
  
He jerked awake. The whispers faded and he looked around. Benny  
was gone again. Fear rose up in him and he started to get up. The  
diary fell at his knees and opened. He snatched it up and read the  
page.  
  
*November 8, 1868  
My beloved Aubrey and I have been lovers again since a few weeks  
after his arrival last spring. We have lived blissfully in this house  
and have planned a future together. The only blight on our happiness  
is  
our fear of being found out. May the good Lord protect us.*  
  
Ray felt a churning in his gut. Almost against his will, he  
turned the page.  
  
*November 10, 1868  
He is dead. My Aubrey. They found him in the woods. Dear God,  
how am I to survive without him?*  
  
The entries stopped there. Ray hurried out of the parlor, candle  
and book in hand. He dashed up the stairs and into the library.  
  
Benny was illuminated by a soft, golden light, the painting of  
Carlyle Simmons sparkling with a glow that nearly blinded Ray. As he  
watched with stunned eyes, the glow brightened and the figure of Carlyle  
Simmons stepped out from the canvas, joining Benny in the circle of  
light. An ethereal hand reached out and touched the Mountie's cheek.  
  
/My Aubrey,/ he said, love in his ghostly voice.  
  
Thunder cracked and the house shook as Ray gasped.*  
  



	5. My Beloved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Spirit lays claim to Benny.

*"Benny!"  
  
The ghostly Carlyle turned and looked at Ray. /He is not 'Benny'.  
He is my Aubrey, come back to me./  
  
"He's *my* Benny, pal!" Ray lunged forward to grab Benny  
and was  
thrown back against the wall, sparks sizzling at the point  
of contact  
with the golden circle. His cry faded as he slid down  
the wall.  
"Benny," he said weakly.  
  
Carlyle had returned his attention to Benny, who was standing as  
still as a statue. They looked like two gentlemen from the Victorian  
era, Benny's uniform designed for those days of Imperial glory. The  
muscle in his cheek had twitched when Ray was flung back, but he  
remained immobile and silent. Carlyle began to stroke his cheek.  
  
/My beautiful Aubrey./ His violet eyes glowed. /I have waited  
so  
long for you to come back to me. I knew that your spirit could  
never  
die. Mine has dwelt in that painting for over a hundred years,  
awaiting  
your return./  
  
Ray clawed his way up from near-oblivion, trying to stop his heart  
from racing. He listened to the ghost's words, recognizing the great  
joy that this long-ago man was experiencing. Oh, lords, what was he  
going to do to get Benny out of this?!  
  
His blood boiled as Carlyle leaned forward and kissed Benny. The  
Mountie didn't respond. Carlyle stroked his shoulders, then his chest,  
lovingly running his hand over the red serge. The gold buttons gleamed  
in the golden circle.  
  
  
/Your beauty still amazes me, Aubrey. When I first saw you that  
day in camp, you took my breath away. So young and patriotic and full  
of enthusiasm for the grand adventure thrust upon us. Our country had  
called, and we had answered that call. We proudly wore Union blue.  
And  
you looked magnificent in it./  
  
  
Ghostly lips tasted the warmth of Benny's throat, the hand sliding  
down below uniform belt and resting between sturdy thighs. Ray knew  
that the strange sensations that Benny had experienced earlier that  
night had not just been fragments of a dream. Carlyle Simmons was  
claiming his mate.  
  
*Dammnit, *I'm* Benny's mate! But what can I do? I can't even  
get  
up off the floor, I feel so drained.*  
  
Helplessly he watched as Carlyle rubbed his hand against the  
growing bulge in the jodhpurs, his own jodhpurs showing a telltale sign  
of arousal as well. His tongue slipped into Benny's mouth and Ray could  
have sworn he heard two moans. Anger surged up within him and he moved  
a few inches away from the wall.  
  
/Dear Aubrey./ Carlyle's ghostly voice drifted on the air. /You  
are  
mine, dear heart, and after a century and more of waiting, I  
claim thee  
tonight./  
  
Ray nearly screamed as he saw Carlyle slowly undress Benny, the  
Mountie uniform gracefully dropping to the floor in layers. Even the  
boots were removed, and then the ghost pressed Benny to him, kissing  
him deeply again, and then lowered him to the floor. Carlyle's violet  
eyes were shining with lust, his handsome face wreathed in a smile.  
He  
knelt before the immobile Benny, caressing his thighs with loving  
hands.  
He gently ran his fingers down the Mountie's cock, then opened  
his pants  
and produced a splendid penis of his own. He stroked it  
and then  
positioned it to enter Benny.  
  
"Benny!" Ray screamed.  
  
That cry must have reached Benny's soul, because a spark of life  
appeared in his glazed blue eyes and he suddenly pushed up, scooting  
away from Carlyle. The ghost's eyes widened with surprise, then he  
smiled and said soothingly, /Come, my precious. I won't hurt you. I  
want to make love to you./  
  
"I only make love with Ray!"  
  
Benny looked over at the drained Italian, and Ray's emerald eyes  
poured out his love. "Fight, Benny," he said weakly.  
  
Concern flooded Benny. "Ray...?"  
  
"Benny, look out!"  
  
The Mountie turned just in time to see the ghostly form of  
Carlyle reach for him. He skittered away, his body trembling.  
  
"Please, Carlyle. Leave me be. I belong to Ray."  
  
/NO!/ The violet eyes flashed. /You are *mine*, Aubrey!/  
  
"Aubrey is dead. I am sorry, Carlyle. I know what it means  
to  
love someone so much that he is a part of your soul." Benny  
flashed a  
smile at Ray, whose heart leaped. His Canadian returned  
his attention  
to his ghostly suitor. "You have suffered a great  
deal over the loss of  
your beloved Aubrey."  
  
/Aubrey, I love you. Why are you doing this to me?/ Hurt dwelled  
in violet eyes.  
  
"I am sorry, Carlyle," Benny repeated. "I am not  
Aubrey." His voice  
was gentle.  
  
/Yes, you *are*! You are the one I have waited for all these  
years. Come, let us love again./  
  
Carlyle held his hand out and Benny ran a tongue over his lips.  
Ray groaned. Why did he have to do *that*?  
  
/Please, Aubrey. Do not deny me./  
  
The pleading touched Ray's heart, and he could see that Benny was  
affected, too. Still, they had to keep on guard.  
  
"Benny," he gasped out, crawling toward the light.  
  
Benny heard him and turned to look. An enraged Carlyle suddenly  
pointed at Ray, streams of energy leaping out at the Italian, who  
screamed at the jolt that slammed him back against the wall.  
  
"Ray!" Benny screamed. He glared at Carlyle. "Don't  
hurt him  
again!"  
  
/He is an interloper, my love. He is trying to prevent us from  
being together./  
  
"We don't *belong* together! I am *not* your Aubrey!"  
Benny's  
anger faded to pleading. "Please, Carlyle. Don't torture  
yourself any  
more."  
  
Carlyle stared at him as if seeing him for the first time, then  
he  
threw his head back and howled. The desolation of that cry tore  
at the  
two living souls in the room. Ray uttered a prayer half-forgetten  
from  
childhood as he watched the tormented soul writhe.  
  
/NOOOOO!!!!/  
  
The house began to shake as the lightning swallowed up the room,  
the thunder rolling ominously as eternal torment rent the air.  
  
/AUBREY! AUBREY!/  
  
Benny crawled out from the light and was quickly pulled into his  
lover's arms. Ray held on tightly, his body shaking with fear and  
compassion. A tear trickled down his cheek.  
  
Grief pounded at them and they cried, understanding the spirit's  
anguish. A soul-wrenching moan spiraled up to the heavens.  
  
//Carlyle.//  
  
The word was spoken calmly, but it pierced through the noise with  
the clarity of a knife through butter. The humans' eyes widened in  
astonishment as they saw what floated at the doorway to the library.  
  
Carlyle had turned, too, and the golden light paled into  
near-whiteness.  
Violet eyes as big as planets stared at the apparition.  
  
The painting of Aubrey O'Shea began to sparkle, and then the  
magnificent figure stepped out of it, his image clothed in a golden glow  
as he smiled and held out his hand.  
  
//Come to me, Beloved.//  
  
/Au...*Aubrey*?!/  
  
Aubrey nodded, Carlyle staggering toward him and grasping his hand.  
He was gathered up into a fierce hug, his sobs echoing throughout the  
grand old house. Benny and Ray watched as they clung to each other.  
  
Finally Carlyle pulled back, searching his long-lost love's face.  
  
/Why, Aubrey? Why did you not come to me in these last, lonely  
years?/  
  
//Oh, dear heart,// Aubrey said tenderly as he wiped the tears from  
his beloved's cheeks, //I was waiting for *you* to come to *me*.// At  
Carlyle's gasp he explained gently, //It is the way of the afterlife.  
You yearned for what could not be, but if you had let go, you would have  
joined me long ago.// As Carlyle began to cry again, he lifted his chin  
up with a steady hand. //Dear one, that matters not now. You and I are  
together again, as we should be.// He turned to Benny and Ray and said,  
//Thank you for your compassion, my friends. Live your lives as they  
were meant to be lived. Love is too precious to deny.//  
  
He kissed Carlyle then, the other spirit returning it, and the  
glow surrounding them reached an incandescent burst, their spiritual  
bodies scattering in a cloud of golden sparkles.  
  
They were gone.  
  
Benny and Ray held each other as the last of the sparkles  
dissipated,  
and then Ray kissed his lover hard. He laid him out on the  
library  
floor and made love to him.  
  
The storm raged on.*  
  



	6. Fresh And Clean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The world starts anew.

Everything was fresh and clean, like the world had started anew.  
Birds sang in the venerable old oaks and maples, and Benny and Ray awoke  
in each other's arms. Golden motes danced about, and they kissed and  
made love.  
  
They dressed and went out onto the veranda, holding each other's  
hands. The sky was a startling blue, and the colors of the trees blazed  
their magnificence.  
  
They looked at each other and Ray said, "I'm glad they found  
each  
other again."  
  
"Yes." Benny drew him close for a kiss. "And Aubrey  
was right.  
Love should *never* be denied."  
  
They kissed while the House of Simmons smiled down upon them.  
  



End file.
